Sense on Cents

UPDATE: This episode of NQR’s Sense on Cents with Larry Doyle has concluded. You can listen to a recording of the episode in its entirety by clicking the play button on the audio player provided below. Once the audio begins, you can advance or rewind to any portion of the episode by clicking at any point along the play bar.

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Please join me this Sunday evening for NQR’s Sense on Cents with Larry Doyle as we dig deeper and work harder in navigating the economic landscape. My special guest will be Wall Street veteran and author Norb Vonnegut.

The 1980s saw dramatic swings on Wall Street. The ’80s brought us the start of a major bull market in bonds along with the major stock market crash of 1987. Rest assured, though, there was as much action after hours as there was during the trading days. The book that captured the true essence of that time period was Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe.

There is no doubt the economic booms and busts of this decade make the ’80s look like childs’ play. What books will be published to capture the essence of this period? Let me propose Top Producer by Norb Vonnegut, a Wall Street veteran who understands a 10-Q, a CDO, and the spirit of the characters who drove Wall Street and our economy into the ground.

This recent review of Top Producer speaks volumes:

It seems Kurt wasn’t the only Vonnegut with storytelling in the extended family DNA. The proof is in this entertaining debut novel from Kurt’s distant cousin Norb Vonnegut. Here we meet Grove O’Rourke, a successful stockbroker (known as a “top producer” in Wall Street-speak) swirling in the aftermath of his best friend’s gory, public murder. To help the widow, Grove tries to decipher the ins and outs of his friend’s hedge fund business. Then, of course, mysteries and secrets unfurl, and our well-meaning protagonist finds himself in hot water.

The story mirrors reality — in ways that may now surprise even its author, who finished the book before the economic meltdown. The two decades Vonnegut spent as a wealth advisor are evident in the venom he brings to descriptions (”a colostomy bag in wingtips”) and in his grasp of the cutthroat world of finance. That plus his affinity for wordplay — nicknaming a raspy-voiced character “the hoarse whisperer” — will likely give you an appreciative smirk as you turn the pages to see exactly what happens to Grove in his search for the truth.

For those who have worked on trading desks and for those who would like an insider’s look at the Wall Street pace and race, Top Producer is a must read. I strongly recommend it. Norb Vonnegut will be joining me on Sunday night’s program to discuss his surefire blockbuster, as well as his views on the Wall Street experience.

What is on your mind? What would you like to address? Please share your questions and thoughts by calling in to (347) 677-0792, and also join our live chat room, which I’ll start up about 10 minutes before the show begins.

As a reminder, all of my radio shows are archived and can be listened to right here at Sense on Cents by clicking on the No Quarter Radio tab located under the page header. (FYI, I keep an audio player of my most recent episode in the right sidebar). In addition, all No Quarter Radio programming is available as a free podcast on iTunes. From the iTunes Store, type “NQR podcasts” in the search window.

Many thanks to Larry Johnson and the rest of the team at No QuarterUSA blog for providing such a vibrant media vehicle as No Quarter Radio. I look forward to having you join me Sunday evening as we collectively navigate the economic landscape!!

LD

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 at 9:04 PM and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.